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Solipsis
m̶a̶d̶ disappointed scientist


Registered: 12/28/09
Posts: 3,398
Loc: the Neitherlands
Last seen: 5 months, 18 days
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Finding the data/information underlying taxonomical ruling
#26748390 - 06/16/20 07:29 AM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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I'm a bit of a noob when it comes to taxonomy, it seems there are a LOT of misconceptions and i have plenty of them. This becomes evident when learning a little more and more.
So aside from the fact that I am not a taxonomist nor an expert with biology degree, say I would like to experiment and contribute if possible...
And let's take 2 very related species with rather limited information about them, for example Psilocybe aztecorum and Psilocybe pseudoaztecorum.
I'm curious about how related they are and what could be said about (perhaps) P. pseudoaztecorum originating from P. aztecorum and if so when it may have happened and how.
I saw there is genetic information of aztecorum (the ITS region) but not pseudoaztecorum on genbank.
What I would like to know though (also for various other examples) is: how can you best find or track down the decision-making process and the information used in it, which led to these being different species and not different varieties of the same species, or one a subspecies?
Is it instead a lack of data making it impossible (at the time, with available data) to argue or prove that P. pseudoaztecorum more than just totally resembles P. aztecorum (macroscopically)?
Sorry if this opens up a huge can of worms regarding taxonomy... but at the very least I'm curious how one would basically go about investigating such a matter.
The best I can come up with is sequencing the ITS of pseudoaztecorum (of course also completely determining macro/micro that it is in fact the corresponding species we are talking about), and if just out of curiosity doing a mating study, not with big expectations.
Is there even 1 institute with ultimate authority when it comes to taxonomy of fungi or will there just be competing views from different authorities ? (and is it a good thing that there is or isn't an ultimate authority - is it in your opinion nice if its more 'democratic' ?) In any case there must at least be an unofficial commission with the most if not ultimate authority? I'm curious if for every species or taxon there is public documentation which lets you see what this is based on, or is it a (good) part of it everyone having to do their own detective work?
I definitely respect the people working on this, so hopefully it doesn't come off the wrong way if i would like to know the reasonings for various claims and changes and the turmoil in fungal taxonomy land.  Yea i have started reading the nomenclature rules, but i would love if there is someone who can explain to me or link me etc to make this into an understandable story without having to read the lawbooks themselves.
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Mycoactive
Scientist


Registered: 11/20/19
Posts: 185
Last seen: 26 days, 23 hours
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Re: Finding the data/information underlying taxonomical ruling [Re: Solipsis]
#26749244 - 06/16/20 02:48 PM (3 years, 7 months ago) |
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You raise some great points that I'd love to hear some experts weigh in on. From what I understand (and I'm not an expert), species are different if they cannot mate and produce viable offspring. When it comes to psychoactive fungi, most of the genetic compatibility is unknown, so taxonomists have relied largely on morphological characteristics to differentiate species. That's an imperfect way of doing things and is often rather arbitrary.
What's worse, it can be really difficult to locate up-to-date info on species, as you mentioned. There's no go-to resource or authority on the matter from what I can tell. Paul Stamets mentioned that he would soon be updating his original Psilocybin Mushrooms of the World book, so hopefully that provides a solid resource (I know a lot of his work is controversial). Regardless, it'll be imperfect. I guess that's the nature of taxonomy and science in general, though.
It would be great if there was a free online database that tracked the decision making process and where everything currently stands according to a panel of experts. Hopefully one day! Please let me know if you manage to locate any good resources.
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